


Iron Will

by BeccaAnne814



Series: Tony Stark x Reader Series [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Iron Man (Movies), Iron Man - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Death, F/M, Kidnapping, PG-13 Sexual Themes, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-08
Updated: 2017-07-08
Packaged: 2018-11-29 12:31:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 17,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11440920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeccaAnne814/pseuds/BeccaAnne814
Summary: Tony Stark isn't a man who takes no for an answer, even if his feelings for you complicate an already delicate situation.





	1. Chapter 1

The past few years had been a series of missed opportunities and bad timing. You had tried for years to work up the courage to actually come here, and then Germany happened. You had thought you'd lost your chance, but recent events had given you hope again. You had gotten up this morning and without too much thought, got in the car and started driving.

You had called in a lot of favors to find out the location of the Avengers Compound in upstate New York. You had been surprised to find out how close it really was to you. That was just another reason to finally make your move.

You followed the written directions you had been given by a friend since the Compound didn't show up on any maps. You were sure Tony Stark had made sure that all records of its location were erased from any database. You made the last turn, just as an armed guard stepped forward to block your way.

He walked to the side of your car once you had come to a stop. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but I'm going to have to ask you turn around."

"My name is Major (Y/N) (Y/L/N)," you stated as you pulled out your military ID. "I'm here to see Captain Rogers."

"I'm sorry, ma'am," he replied. "I'm afraid I can't allow you through."

"Would you please just radio in and tell him that Rebecca Barnes' granddaughter is here to see him?" you asked, playing your ace in the hole.

He looked at you for a long minute, obviously weighing his options. Finally deciding to err on the side of caution, he turned away from you and leaned his head toward the walkie talkie clipped to his shoulder, speaking quietly. He waited for a response, nodded his head, and then turned back to you.

"Mr. Stark has granted you access," he began. "Follow this road for approximately one mile. You'll see the compound on your right. Pull up to the front entrance and someone will be waiting to escort you in."

You rolled your window back up and began driving down the road. You cleared a line of trees and suddenly the compound appeared in front of you. The first thing you noticed were the two large jets sitting on a pad by the main building. You turned into the drive and pulled up to the front door.

You turned off the car and slowly got out of the car, your attention on the massive building in front of you. You had heard that this facility was impressive, and you were definitely impressed. You turned around, taking in every detail. When you turned back toward the front door, Tony Stark was just exiting and heading straight for you.

He wasn't looking at you, rather he was reading something on the device in his hand. "So, Major (Y/N) (Y/L/N), born in New York to James and Sarah (Y/L/N). Graduated at the top of your class from the Air Force Academy with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering. Served 8 years active duty flying C-17 cargo planes. Now you're in the Air National Guard still flying C-17's out of the 137th Airlift Squadron at Stewart ANG in Poughkeepsie, New York."

"Mr. Stark," you acknowledged as he rounded the car. "I see you wasted no time in looking me up."

"When a government official shows up on my doorstep unannounced, I take an interest," he replied looking up at you for the first time.

He stopped walking and his jaw went a little slack as his eyes traveled from your head to your feet. One eyebrow shot up in surprise at your appearance. You obviously weren't what he was expecting.

"I'm not here as a representative of the military, Mr. Stark," you explained. "I'm just here. . ."

"Tony," he interrupted, a flirty smile on his face. "Please call me Tony."

"Tony," you continued. "As I was saying. . ."

"Barnes," he interrupted again. "You're here for Barnes. I'm curious though, why did you ask for Rogers at the checkpoint?"

"If you would let me speak," you chided. "I could explain."

"I'm sorry," he apologized with a wave of his hand. "Please continue."

"As I was saying," you began again. "I came here today to talk to Captain Rogers about possibly meeting Sergeant Barnes. I've read some of the files concerning his time under Hydra's control and I know his memory is spotty. I wasn't sure if he would even want to meet me, so I thought it best to go through the Captain."

"How did you even know he was here?" he asked. "Better yet, how do you where 'here' is?"

"I've still got some friends in high places from my active duty days," you explained. "I had to call in a lot of favors, and I do mean a lot. You're a hard man to track down, Mr. Stark."

"Tony," he corrected again with a thousand watt smile on his face. "I'm going to need you to tell me the names of those friends so I can make sure they end up scrubbing toilets for the rest of their careers."

"Don't be mad at them, Tony," you cautioned. "I can be pretty persuasive when I need to be."

A wry smile lifted the corners of his mouth again, giving you another once over as he moved closer to you. "Oh, I don't doubt it for a second."

"Are you going to let me talk to Captain Rogers or not?" you asked, getting frustrated with the overly flirtatious man.

"What makes you think he and Barnes are even here?" he asked as he moved even closer, one hand reaching out to play with the silver locket hanging from your neck.

You swiped at his hand making him drop the locket as he gave you a wink. "My sources tell me that Rogers and Barnes came here from Wakanda over a week ago. I would have been here sooner, but I was flying cargo to Bahrain and only just returned to the states two days ago."

Not taking the hint, he leaned in closer and whispered in your ear. "Have I mentioned the fact that I find women in positions of power extremely sexy?"

Your hands moved to his chest and you wanted to push him away, but the combination of that sultry smile, sexy swagger, and the intoxicating cologne he wore started breaking down your defenses. Instead of pushing him away, your fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt as you leaned in to answer his question.

"Tony!" a voice called from the doorway breaking the spell.

Your fingers loosened and you started to push Tony away as you looked to see who was behind you.

"Perfect timing, as usual Steve," Tony reproached as he straightened his tie and started walking toward the Captain. "I was just getting to know our guest."

"I could see that," Steve rebuked. "Do you even know how to talk to a lady without trying to get her into bed?"

Tony stopped and tilted his head, thinking for a moment. "Nope. Can't say that I do."

"Captain Rogers," you interrupted the two men. "I'm sorry about that. Please allow me to introduce myself. . ."

"Becks?" asked a voice from the shadows just beyond the entryway.

The three of you turned to find Bucky standing there frozen, a look of shock on his face.your story


	2. Chapter 2

You came around the side of the car and cautiously approached the startled man. "Sergeant Barnes, I'm so sorry. I didn't intend for us to meet like this. I'm not your sister. My name is (Y/N) (Y/L/N). Rebecca was my grandmother."

 

He listened to your explanation, his eyes raking over your features as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing. "You look exactly like her. You see it, don't you Steve?"

Steve had remained silent for the past few minutes, but his face was also registering shock and confusion. "Yeah, pal, I see it, too."

"So tell me, Barnes," Tony interrupted. "How is that you're related to such a gorgeous woman? I'm not seeing any family resemblance."

"Tony," Steve chided. "That's enough. Maybe you should leave Ms. (Y/L/N) and us to figure things out on our own."

Tony didn't verbally respond to the Captain, he simply raised in eyebrows in acknowledgement of his request and turned back to you. He took one of your hands and brought it to his lips, grazing them over your knuckles.

"(Y/N)," he all but purred. "Please stay as long as you like. I'll inform the guards that you will always be welcome here."

"Thank you, Mr. Stark. . ."

"Tony," he corrected as he ran his thumb over the hand he'd yet to let go of.

"Thank you, Tony," you amended. "I appreciate the hospitality."

Tony gave you a wink as he let go of your hand and started to walk back into the compound. Bucky gave him a hard look as he passed by him, but Tony pretended as though he wasn't even there.

"Again, I'm so sorry," you apologized to the two men standing before you. "I've been told all my life how much I look like Grandma. I never intended to cause any confusion."

"It's fine, Ms. (Y/L/N)," Steve replied as he turned to look back at his friend. "You just took us by surprise, right Buck?"

"Please call me (Y/N)," you requested. "I've heard so many stories about the two of you, I feel as though I already know you. Is there somewhere we can go sit down and talk?"

Steve's eyebrows quickly raised as he gave you a brief nod. "Of course. I apologize for my rudeness, I'm at a little bit of a loss at the moment."

"I complete understand," you stated. "This must be a lot to take in."

"You have no idea," Bucky spoke for the first time in a few minutes as he followed you and Steve into the compound.

Steve led you to a large open room filled with plush couches and arm chairs. There was an elaborate entertainment center along one wall and the other wall was taken up with a built-in bookshelf filled with an assortment of books and knick-knacks. Bucky chose to sit in an oversized chair in the corner, while you sat on the sofa with Steve.

"I'm not really sure where to begin," you admitted after the three of you had gotten comfortable.

"Why don't you tell us a little bit about you," Steve suggested.

You began by telling Steve and Bucky about your life in the military and how your grandmother's stories about the two of them fighting in WWII inspired to you to serve your country as well. You told them about your father, your grandmother's only son, whom she named James Steven in honor of her two brothers. Your grandmother has spent as much time with Steve as she had Bucky and had once told you that they were a package deal; you didn't have one without the other. Your great-grandmother had loved Steve as though he were her own, so your grandmother had felt as though he were his adopted brother.

Your grandmother had married a boy from Brooklyn that Bucky and Steve had known as kids. John (Y/L/N) had gone off to war around the same time as Bucky and Steve, but he'd been one of the lucky ones to make it back. He'd always been in love with Becks, so upon returning and finding out that both men had died in the service of their country, he took it upon himself to make sure that she was taken care of. She eventually fell in love with him and they were married in 1947. 

You told them how your father had been a bit of a wild child in the 60's, drinking and causing trouble with his friends until he met your mother. She was four years younger than him, but he'd failed a few grades and ended up in freshman history with her. He'd spent months trying to convince her to go out with him, even going so far as to clean up his act and get a decent job to impress her. She finally relented and they were married two weeks after graduation.

He'd worked in a factory while she got a job as a bank teller. Eventually you had come along and they'd lived an idyllic life. While you were at the Air Force Academy, your father had been diagnosed with stage IV cancer and within four months he was gone. Your grandfather passed a year later from a heart attack. Your grandmother had been slowly developing symptoms of Alzheimer's and within two years of your father's death, she passed as well. Your mother had moved out of the city to a small town and was still working as a part-time teller in the local bank until she could retire.

By the time you had finished your story, both men had tears in their eyes. You were also crying, the loss of your father and grandmother so close to one another still hard on you after all of these years.

"Becks had a good life?" Bucky asked, his voice thick with emotion.

"The best," you confirmed. "She was the happiest person I've ever met. The only time I ever saw her cry was when she talked about losing you two in the war. She didn't bring that up very often, it was usually funny stories about the trouble the two of you would get into."

"I remember some of those times," Bucky acknowledged. "Do you remember any of the stories?"

"As a matter of fact," you began. "I did a project in High School about life before WWII and I wrote down a lot of grandma's stories. I think Mom still has a copy of them in the attic at her house. I'll have her send it to me."

"That would be wonderful, (Y/N)," Steve told you. "I would love to hear those old stories from Becks' perspective, and it might be a good way to help Bucky's memories."

"I still can't believe Becks married Johnny (Y/L/N)," Bucky whispered almost to himself. "He was such a little punk!"

"Grandpa was a lot of fun to be around," you told him. "He would flirt with any woman that walked past, but at the end of the day, he only had eyes for Grandma."

"It's strange, isn't it?" Bucky asked.

You looked at Bucky with a tilt of your head, confusion written all over your face. "What's strange?"

"You and I," he replied. "We look as though we're about the same age, but I'm actually your great-uncle."

"If it makes you feel better, I can call you Uncle Bucky," you teased.

Bucky let out a small laugh, his blue-grey eyes lighting up as little lines appeared around his eyes. "I think we'll just stick to Bucky for now. I don't need to give Stark more ammunition."

"Is he not very nice to you?" you asked. "I noticed some tension between the two of you when we were outside earlier."

Bucky's smile faded and Steve was quick to answer. "Bucky and Tony have a complicated history."

"I know," you admitted. "I had hoped since he invited the two of you back here that he was ready to forget and move forward."

"He's trying," Bucky admitted. "I don't blame him. I can't forgive myself for the things I've done. I can't expect anything more from him."

"Things are still pretty rocky around here," Steve admitted. "We're working on it. I think having you around will help things. That is if you want to be around."

You looked at Bucky and saw the hopeful expression on his face. "Other than my mom, you two are the only family I have left. I would love to spend more time with you."

Both men agreed that you would come back as soon as your schedule allowed. You were flying out on a mission to the Persian Gulf in a few days and were projected to be gone for about a week. You promised to call them as soon as you returned. 

They walked you back to the front door and you gave each of them a hug before you walked outside toward your car. You were about to open the driver's side door when you caught sight of movement in your peripheral vision. You quickly turned around to find Tony Stark walking toward you from around the side of the building.

"You should be careful sneaking up on somebody," you warned him. "Especially when that someone could potentially hurt you."

Tony continued walking, ignoring your warning until he was right up next to you, one arm leaning casually on the side of your car, his face a mere inches from yours. His free hand went to your locket again, but this time you didn't rebuke him.

"I don't think you want to hurt me," he stated, completely sure of himself. 

Your right hand moved up to cup the side of his face, drawing him closer to you so you could whisper in his ear. "If I find out that you're deliberately being mean to my uncle, don't think for a second I won't make you pay."

Tony pulled back just enough to look you in the eye. "So, are you saying that if I'm nice to the Terminator, you'll go on a date with me?"

You let out a soft chuckle and shook your head. "Has anyone ever told you your incorrigible?"

"Every single day of my life," he remarked. "So is that a yes?"

You pulled open the car door, causing Tony to lose his balance for a second. You slid into the driver's seat and started the car so you could roll down the window.

"I'll be back in about a week or so," you told him as you put the car in gear. "We'll see how things are going and maybe I'll consider letting you buy me dinner."

You didn't give him a chance to answer as you rolled the window back up and pulled away from the compound. Tony stood in the drive watching until your car disappeared into the trees. He turned back toward the front entrance and was surprised to see Steve leaning against one of the pillars by the door.

"Do you really think it's a good idea to hit on her?" Steve asked.

"I don't see any problem with it," Tony replied. "She's a big girl, and she seems like the type that can take care of herself."

"I don't think you see the bigger picture here, Tony," Steve argued. "Bucky just found out. . . hell, I just found out that we actually have family left. Do you really think it's smart to start something we both know you're incapable of finishing?"

"You really have no faith in me, do you Rogers?" Tony asked, an affronted look on his face as he stalked into the building.

Steve watched his retreating back as he walked away. "No, Tony. I really don't."


	3. Chapter 3

The mission went as scheduled and you were back in the States within a week. You had called your mom and she had gone through your old school papers and found the report that you had written about your grandmother. She was worried about you spending time with Bucky. She understood your desire to connect with the only remaining member of your dad's family, but she was concerned about his past and whether it would be safe to be around him. You assured her that he was perfectly fine to be around, especially with Captain America right there. You had wanted to tell her about Tony Stark, but you knew if she found out about your attraction to that man, she would be even more insistent that you not visit the compound. You loved your mother, but she could be a bit difficult at times, especially when she didn't approve of your life choices. She reminded you every day of how hard it was to be the mother of a woman in the armed forces, never knowing if her daughter was coming home alive or in a pine box. You had learned to carefully choose your battles where she was concerned.

You were anxious to make it back to the compound to visit Bucky and Steve. At least you tried to convince yourself that it was those two men that drew you back upstate. It was completely ridiculous to believe that a man like Tony Stark would be interested in you. He could have any woman in the world, why would he bother with a woman who flew cargo planes for the Air Force? As much as you tried to deny it, you knew there was a part of you that secretly hoped that you would see him again on your next visit.

You spent an entire day going through old photographs and home videos, gathering your favorites to take to Bucky and Steve. Your grandmother had kept everything. Your father had referred to her as a packrat, but you knew better. She had loved her brother more than anything in the world. Steve had been like a brother to her as well, so she had cherished him too. Losing them both so close together had been extremely difficult for her, so she had held onto anything that would help keep their memory alive.

Once you had packed the back of your Subaru with the totes full of mementoes, you sent Steve a text to let him know that you were on your way. Bucky was still trying to figure out the technology of the 21st century, and smartphones were proving to be quite difficult for the ex-assassin. 

You came to the last turn and the guard from before appeared in front of you again. Instead of stopping you, he motioned for you to continue on. Tony had been serious about you being welcome any time. You made your way to the main driveway of the compound, stopping at the front entrance. You couldn't help the elated smile that spread across your face when you saw that Tony was waiting for you at the door.

You put the car in park and turned off the engine. Before you could even unbuckle your seatbelt, Tony was beside you, opening the car door, a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye.

"(Y/N), I knew you wouldn't be able to stay away from me for too long." His voice dripped with honey as he grasped your elbow, helping you from the car.

"I'm here to see my uncles," you corrected. "You're just an added distraction."

He placed one hand over his heart as though you'd wounded him. "You're killing me! I know I'm completely irresistible, I just can't figure out why you won't admit it."

"Admit what?" you teased.

He leaned into you, one hand resting on the roof of the car, the other coming toward your chest to play with the locket hanging around your neck. You were trapped between him and the car, and it seemed as though the temperature had risen considerably in the past few seconds. You desperately tried to keep your breath even, lest he see the rapid rise and fall of your chest and know the effect he truly had on you.

One corner of his mouth raised in a wry grin as his eyes rose from the locket to meet yours again. "Admit that you feel something."

"I'm feeling a lot of things right now," you evaded. "To which feeling do you refer?"

Tony dropped the locket as his hand rose to your face, the backs of his knuckles grazing along your jaw. "You like to play hard to get, don't you sweetheart?"

You were about to respond with some witty retort when the sound of a throat clearing interrupted you. You and Tony both turned toward the sound and found a furious Bucky glaring at the two of you.

"Barnes," Tony simply stated.

"Stark," he replied.

Tony looked back down at you, a smile of resignation on his face. "We'll have to continue this conversation later. Preferably when one of your uncles isn't around to interrupt us."

You gave him a look of disbelief as he moved away from you. "I won't be holding my breath."

You and Tony walked around the car toward Bucky. Your uncle looked as though he was ready to kill the billionaire, but once his gaze fell on you, the anger was replaced with a smile. Bucky looked as though he wanted to hug you, but was unsure of himself. You decided to take a chance and wrapped your arms around his neck. He was hesitant at first, but his arms eventually went around your waist as he drew you closer to him. 

Tony had stopped and turned around, watching the way Bucky buried his face in your neck, all of the tension he normally carried gone for a brief moment. You saw the range of emotions play over Tony's face. His initial anger slowly faded away as he realized how much you loved the man he was struggling not to hate. You could tell he wanted to be happy for you, but that wasn't an emotion he was ready to extend to Bucky. Eventually his normal façade fell into place as he gave you a flirty wink before heading back into the building.

You had let Bucky decide how long the hug would last, and you were surprised at how hesitant he was to let you go. How long had it been since he'd had anyone touch him without the intention of pain? You knew he and Steve were close, but there were times when a man needed the comfort of a woman, even if she was simply a relative. Bucky helped you carry the totes from your car to the common room. Bucky was reluctant to be away from you, so you ended up sandwiched on the couch between the two supersoldiers as you sorted through the documents and photos you'd brought with you.

Steve told you stories that you'd heard from your grandmother as a child. They were slightly different coming from his point of view and the two of you laughed at your grandmother's interpretation of some events. Bucky would occasionally remember something and add his recollection to the story. You could tell there were times when he couldn't remember a certain occasion and the frustration was hard to witness. Steve would quickly change the subject until he came upon something that Bucky could remember. You lost track of the hours you spent at the compound, so engrossed in the stories they told and the memories they shared. The sun was starting to set as you packed everything back into the totes. You insisted that they keep them and go back through them again. Maybe something would eventually trigger some more of Bucky's memories.

The two men walked you to your car, and you would have been lying if you hadn't admitted to yourself that you were disappointed that Tony didn't come down to say goodbye. You hugged both of them before settling yourself behind the wheel, waving as you drove back toward home.

 

 

 

You flew out again a few days later for another mission. S.H.I.E.L.D. may have been handling the threat the new enhanced presented, but they still needed supplies. Amazingly the different agencies had agreed to work together to keep the world safe from those who wanted to watch it burn. You had flown more missions in the past couple of years than you had during the second Persian Gulf War. You weren't complaining, though. There was something about flying thousands of miles above the world that made you feel at peace. The only problem was the jet lag.

You flew back into New York about a week after you had left, landing your cargo jet expertly on a beautiful summer afternoon. There was always the couple hours of debriefing and reports to file, so it was closer to evening before you were finally able to make it back to your apartment.

You opened the door and immediately knew something was off. You couldn't put your finger on it, but you knew someone had been in your apartment. You pulled the gun from the holster on your thigh as you strategically swept through the rooms. 

As you rounded the doorway leading into the kitchen, you dropped your gun and let out a huff of annoyance. Sitting on the kitchen counter was a vase full of red and gold roses. The color combination left no question as to who they were from. You holstered your gun and walked toward the bouquet. Pulling the card from between two blooms, you opened to find one short, handwritten message.

Meet me on the roof - T


	4. Chapter 4

You instantly looked up to the ceiling, a giddy feeling of anticipation rising within you. The roof of this building had been the selling point for this apartment. Being on the top floor, you were the only one with access. There was a quaint, wrought iron spiral staircase at the end of the main hallway that led to the roof. You had always planned on creating a rooftop garden, but when your missions increased following the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D., you hadn't had time to work on it. You still went up there occasionally with a glass of wine and a good book.

You unclipped your gun holster and laid it on the counter next to the flowers. You knew you looked like a mess, that's what a twelve hour flight would do to you, but you didn't care. You were anxious to see Tony again, and he if were truly interested in you, then he was just going to have to get used to seeing you like this.

You walked toward the staircase and made your way up to the roof. The sight that greeted you took your breath away. The sun had just slipped down over the horizon and twilight was quickly falling. The entire roof was covered in huge containers of flowers and greenery. There were dozens of potted trees and in the center was a raised dais, a pergola in the center. He had created a seating area under the pergola; lounges, chairs, and a settee, all with plush cushions that invited you to sit for a while and make yourself comfortable. He'd somehow installed a small pond, a cascading waterfall enveloping the garden with the soothing sound of running water. As you walked closer to the pergola, you could see the small koi swimming lazily in the pond and it brought a delighted smile to your face. The entire area was lit with small solar lamps and lights strung throughout the trees, giving it the feel of a fairy's garden, full of magic and wonder. This is exactly what you had dreamed of doing in this space.

Tony came around from behind one of the small trees, a huge grin on his face as he swept his arms wide in front of him. "Well? Do you like it?"

You struggled to find the words to convey how happy you were, but you just couldn't find them. "Tony, I. . . this is. . . I mean, it's so. . . wow! Thank you."

The smile on his face seemed to get brighter as you stumbled over your words. "A beautiful woman deserves a beautiful space to live in."

"I can't believe you did all this for me!" you exclaimed. "I don't understand why. You just met me."

"Let's just say, I know a good thing when I find it," he explained as he sauntered toward you.

You shook your head at his flippant comment. "If you're not careful, you're going to spoil me."

"That's the plan," he smirked as he took your hand and led you to the corner of the roof where he'd set up a small table, two covered dishes at the place settings. "I knew you would be exhausted after your flight, so I took the opportunity to make you dinner."

He pulled the chair out for you, his hand softly gliding down your arms before he walked to the opposite side and took his seat. He lit the candles in the middle of the table and removed the covers from the dishes. Tender slices of Prime Rib were piled high on one side with lightly sautéed asparagus spears and roasted red potatoes on the other. Tony pulled a bottle of wine from the bucket of ice beside him and began pouring you a glass.

"You didn't actually make this yourself, did you?" you asked in disbelief.

He gave you a flirty wink as he handed you the glass of wine. "Busted. You gotta give me some credit, though. I did plan this whole thing out myself. I really couldn't let you sit on your couch and eat frozen pizza, now could I?"

"How did you know I was going to eat a frozen pizza?" you asked, completely shocked that he'd pegged you so well.

"I might have snooped through your freezer," he admitted with a wink.

"Speaking of which," you interjected as you took a sip of the obviously expensive wine. "Who gave you permission to break into my apartment in the first place?"

"I'm more of an 'ask for forgiveness rather than permission' kinda guy," he informed you as he swept his hand toward the garden behind him. "You're not really going to complain, are you?"

You inhaled deeply, rolling your eyes as you contemplated his question. "I guess not. This is all just too much. I don't get it. Why me?"

His eyes went from flirty to shocked in a matter of seconds. "Why you? Are you serious right now? You really don't see how amazing you are, do you? How is that you're still single? Are the men in the Air Force really that dense? I know Rhodey is an idiot, but I thought he was an isolated case."

You bristled at his question, stabbing the meat with your fork before angrily taking a bite. It was the question that everyone always asked you and it got on your nerves. "I'm still single because I've spent the past few years focusing on my career. Not that it's any of your business."

Tony scrutinized you for a moment as he popped a potato into his mouth, taking care to note your defensive posture and the mask of indifference you tried to hide behind. "You tell yourself that all you want, sweetheart, but I can see the truth."

"And what is that exactly?" you asked, the venom dripping off of your tongue as you lashed out at him.

"You're still alone because you haven't found someone strong enough to challenge you," he surmised. "All of the men you've been with have been too weak to interest you. You're waiting to meet someone your equal, someone that will push back instead of allowing you to lead him around by the nose."

You laid your fork down on the table as you leaned closer to him. "Let me guess? You think you're that guy?"

"Honey, I know I'm that guy."

You scoffed at his statement, picking up your fork and continuing to eat. You may have been infuriated by his highhanded remarks, but that wasn't going to keep you from eating the amazing dinner before you. The rest of the meal went by in silence. Every now and then you would look up to catch him staring at you, a hunger in his eyes that matched the one you were desperately trying to conceal. 

You had to admit, if only to yourself, that he was right. None of the men you'd ever dated had been able to hold your attention for more than a few weeks. You knew you had an intimidating personality, but you'd had to stay vigilant in order to succeed in a field normally reserved for a man. Your strength attracted men, but they would soon cower, allowing you to call the shots in the relationship. For a while, you would enjoy the control, but eventually you became bored and moved on. Tony wasn't the kind of guy to allow a woman to run roughshod over him, though. You had a feeling he wouldn't try to break you, but would push you just enough to keep things interesting. The question was, did you want to go down this road with him? You knew he and Bucky had a strained relationship already. Would your uncle be able to handle a relationship between you and Tony?

 

 

"I can see the wheels turning in your mind, darlin'," Tony said after you'd finished eating. "Are you ready to admit I'm right?"

"You don't know when to stop, do you?" you asked with a huff.

He rose from the table and walked around to your side, his hand outstretched toward you. You looked at him warily before you placed your hand in his, allowing him to help you to your feet. He pulled you into his arms as he instructed FRIDAY to turn on some soft music. He swept you around the garden, his eyes never leaving yours as he continued to weave his spell around you.

The man definitely had some moves. He made it look so effortless, but he knew exactly what he was doing as he slowly seduced you. You hadn't been able to tear your eyes away from his since he'd pulled you into his arms. Those deep brown pools were full of desire and you couldn't help but be pulled down under with him. His hands hadn't stopped moving since the dance had begun. The hand that wrapped around your waist was slowly ghosting up and down your spine, sending waves of heat coursing through you. His other hand was holding yours loosely, allowing his thumb to rub lazy circles over your palm, the tantalizing friction causing an ache to form deep within you. 

As the dance continued, your will to resist slowly faded away. Why should you deny yourself this? Even if you didn't believe he was a long-term relationship kind of guy, he could still introduce you to pleasures you'd only dreamt about. You just had to go into this knowing that it wouldn't last. You would keep it simple, it would just be physical. As long as you kept your wits about you, no one would get hurt. Once the two of you grew bored of one another, you would drift apart amicably, and with no hard feelings. There was no reason to involve your uncles in this, they would never have to know, and things would just go back to normal once the initial infatuation fizzled out.

"You're thinking again," he softly whispered in your ear, his breath hot against the sensitive skin just below your ear.

You thought about answering him, but instead you decided that actions would speak louder than words. You took the hand that had been resting on his shoulder and brought it up to the back of his neck, your thumb grazing along the side of his jaw. Applying the slightest amount of pressure, you brought his mouth down to yours. He brushed his lips softly across yours, his eyes continuing to focus on you. You met his gaze defiantly, daring him to challenge you on this. With a groan, he pulled you closer, your eyes fluttering closed as he deepened the kiss, drugging your senses and making you weak in the knees. 

You had stopped dancing to focus all of your attention on this kiss. He was definitely an expert at this. He knew just how much pressure to apply to make you breathlessly moan, allowing him to sweep his tongue over your swollen bottom lip. You drew a sharp breath into your lungs when his tongue delved into your mouth, tangling with your own. The kiss turned ravenous as the two of you fought to take control. You'd never allowed a man to dominate you in this area, and you were struggling with the urge to wrest control from him completely. 

Tony began walking you back toward the pergola, lifting you up and laying you down on one of the lounges, covering your body with his own as he broke away from the kiss to nip at the heated skin beneath your jaw. Your legs shifted to wrap around his hips, pulling him closer to you as your hands found their way under the hem of his shirt. The smooth skin over his hard muscles was like fire under your fingertips. You struggled to hold on as the sensations his teeth and tongue were eliciting made it hard to think.

He had just pulled the neckline of your shirt down to dip his tongue into the valley created by your collarbone, when FRIDAY interrupted him.

"Not now!" he complained, but the AI was insistent.

"Captain Rogers has informed me that you are urgently needed back at the compound," she explained, her Irish lilt echoing around you.

"Tell Cap to handle it himself," he barked as his mouth continued exploring the skin he's just exposed.

"Sir," FRIDAY interrupted again. "Hydra has attacked a city in Eastern Europe and Captain Rogers feels as though this is a mission that can only be neutralized by the entire team."

You pulled Tony's head up so that you could look him in the eye. "Go. The world needs Iron Man. I can wait."

Tony buried his head in the crook of your shoulder, completely frustrated. "Fine, but don't move!" He pointed at you with a stern look as he untangled himself from your embrace. "I'll be right back, and then we're finishing what we started here."

You rolled your eyes at him with a smirk on your face. You watched as he tapped the watch on his wrist and in a few seconds one of his suits emerged out of the shadows in the corner of the building. He stepped into it and gave you a wink as the face plate came down. He took off into the night as you continued to lay on the lounge, your overheated skin quickly cooling as night settled in around you.


	5. Chapter 5

You lay on the lounge for a few minutes to catch your breath. If FRIDAY hadn't interrupted, you would have ended up having sex with Tony Stark on the roof of your apartment building. You knew you should be scandalized at the thought, but just thinking about it thrilled you. Tony Stark wanted to be with you! You just couldn't wrap your mind around it. You tried to keep a level head and tell yourself that he only saw you as a challenge, nothing more. You could have continued to play hard to get, but what good would that have done either of you? You were a woman with needs and he was renowned for being a ladies man. If the past few minutes were any indication, you knew sex with him would be the best you'd ever had, potentially the best you'd ever have. You never knew if the next mission you flew out on would be your last, so why not live in the moment and take something for yourself for a change?

Resolving the matter in your mind, you realized that you couldn't possibly stay out here all night long. The nights weren't so cool that you couldn't stay, but you didn't want to stay out here by yourself. This space had become something you associated with Tony in just a few short hours, and you felt lonely out here without him. You stood and made your way to the table. Snuffing out the candles, you grabbed the dishes and the empty bottle of wine and made your way back downstairs.

You decided a long, hot shower was just what you needed to ease not only the stress of the long flight, but to help calm you down after the heated make-out session you'd just indulged in. You grabbed a pair of comfortable pajamas and settled yourself into bed. The events of the evening wouldn't stop playing through your mind, so it was a little while before you actually fell asleep.

 

 

You were in the middle of a steamy dream, heated lips leaving a trail of fire along your neck, lightly grazing fingers playing with the hem of your top causing goosebumps to raise on your overly sensitive skin.

"You moved," a husky voice whispered in your ear as his teeth nipped at the lobe. "I thought I told you to stay put."

You realized that your dream wasn't a dream at all as you slowly gained consciousness. "I got cold."

"You don't feel cold now," he observed as his mouth went back to your neck. "You're burning up, baby."

You turned your head, forcing him to look up at you as you captured his lips with your own. You teased him as you nipped his bottom lip, causing him to moan in pleasure. Taking advantage of his parted lips, you deepened the kiss, causing his fingers to dig into the flesh around your hips. He shifted you enough to settle himself between your thighs before his hands moved up your torso, dragging the material of your shirt with him.

You lifted yourself off of the bed enough for Tony to slip the shirt over your head. He reached behind his head, grabbing the neck of his shirt and pulling it off as well. He lay back down, and the feel of his bare skin against yours elicited a moan from deep within you. The smile on his face turned wicked as he continued to explore every inch of you with his hands and mouth.

You had submissively allowed him to have his way with you, and it was a heady feeling. You'd never allowed a man to have this much freedom with your body and you finally realized just what you had been missing out on. By the time he had rid both of you of your remaining clothes you were on the edge. All it took was one stroke and you broke, your back arching under him as you rode the high. He patiently waited for you to come back down, all the while his mouth was hot on your throat as he licked and nipped at the sensitive skin. 

Once he was sure you were ready, he set a grueling pace, and you desperately tried to keep up. He was relentless and he pushed you higher and higher until you finally broke again. Satisfied that he'd accomplished what he'd set out to do, he flipped you over so that you were now on top. You sat up, pulling him with you. You wrapped your arms around his neck as you fit your mouth to his again. You set an agonizingly slow tempo that you matched with your tongue as it swept over his. You could feel him coming undone beneath you as you gradually increased the speed and pressure. You felt him buck beneath you before you allowed yourself to go over again for the third time that night.

You both collapsed on the bed, completely spent. He lifted your chin and looked deep into your eyes. You could tell he wanted to say something, but you didn't want the moment to end. Slowly rising, you grabbed his hand and led him into bathroom. Turning on the shower, you stepped in, letting the warm spray of water engulf you. Tony followed you, pulling the curtain closed behind him. Not one to let an opportunity pass him by, he quickly pulled you into his arms, the water causing your skin to become slick under his touch.

He led you back to bed after your shower, not allowing you to put your pajamas on again. He lay on his back and pulled you into the crook of his arm, your head resting on his chest and your legs tangled up with his. He leaned down and kissed the top of your head before the two of you fell asleep.

 

 

You woke up the next morning alone. You hand reached across the empty bed, looking for the warm body that was no longer there. Disappointment crept up and you quickly squashed it. Of course he wasn't going to stay. He had better things to do than laze around with you all morning. He had a company to check in on and the world to save. You rolled over onto your back and replayed the night in your mind. You had been right, it was the best sex you'd ever had and you weren't the least bit sorry you'd indulged yourself.

A sound from the kitchen had you sitting up straight in bed, your hand clutching the sheet to your naked chest. You reached for the gun on your nightstand as you crept from the room. You turned the corner from the hallway into the kitchen, your gun aimed in front of you.

"Shit, (Y/N)," Tony yelled as he turned around to find you pointing a gun at him. 

"Tony, I'm so sorry," you apologized as you lowered the gun, suddenly aware that you were completely naked. "I heard a sound and instinct took over. Are you cooking breakfast?"

"I'm trying to," he told you with a wink. "But if you don't go put some clothes on, I'm going to use that kitchen table to satisfy a different type of hunger."

You stood in the door and contemplated his suggestion with a raised eyebrow. He gave you a shocked look as he realized that you might take him up on his offer. "Maybe later. That bacon smells amazing."

You turned back toward the bedroom to grab your pajamas before joining him in the kitchen again. By the time you returned, he'd set two plates piled high with food at the table. You tucked your feet up under you as you sat and began eating.

"This is delicious," you muttered around a bite of scrambled eggs. "I thought you couldn't cook."

"I never said that," he corrected. "I just told you I didn't cook dinner last night. I'm actually a fabulous cook."

"Let me guess," you teased. "You had an affair with a hot French chef and she taught you everything she knew?"

Tony gave you a snide look as he bit into a slice of bacon. "She was Turkish, and we didn't have an affair. Rezan was the cook my mother hired when I was a kid. Mom and Dad were gone a lot on business, so she gave me cooking lessons to keep me out of trouble."

"A skill you've put to good use, I see," you smirked as you continued to eat.

He leaned over and brushed his hand over yours. "It does come in handy when I want to express my gratitude toward a beautiful woman whose company I enjoyed so immensely last night."

You couldn't help but fall for the line, it was so expertly delivered. You knew it was a line, but it still felt good to hear it. "You can come over every night if it means I get bacon and eggs in the morning."

"Don't tempt me," he warned, his eyes suddenly going serious on you. He rose from the table and took your empty plates to the sink. He grabbed the sponge and began washing the dishes while you sat at the table, your mouth hanging open in shock.

If someone had told you that Tony Stark would be standing in your kitchen, wearing nothing but a pair of pants slung low on his hips while he washed dishes, you'd have laughed in their face. Now that you were witnessing the sight, you couldn't help but be charmed. If you weren't careful, this man was going to worm his way into your heart and you'd be a goner for sure.


	6. Chapter 6

The next few nights were a repeat of that first one, without the inconvenient pause to rush off and save the world from Hydra. Sometimes Tony would show up with dinner, but more often than not, you'd wake up to find him in your bed, his hands and lips working their magic until you awoke breathless and needy. Some mornings he had to rush off without making you breakfast. You had a tendency to make him pay dearly the next night if he failed to feed you that morning. Tony never complained, though, and you secretly thought he enjoyed it when you took control and teased him unmercifully.

The first time you visited the compound was a bit awkward. You and Tony had kept your distance from one another, simply nodding and voicing a curt hello before moving on. He hadn't wanted to raise Steve's suspicions, but by not openly flirting with you, Tony had unwittingly drew attention to himself. You tried to play it off as though Tony had become bored with trying to woo you, but you knew Steve was too shrewd to buy it. Bucky was willing to believe your lie, and you felt horrible for deceiving him, but you didn't think he would approve of your relationship with the billionaire. There was no sense in getting him worked up over something that wasn't going to last too much longer anyway.

The more you visited the compound, the more Bucky was able to remember events from his past. You weren't sure if it was the photos and stories that you told, or the fact that you looked so much like your grandmother. Either way, something was triggering his memories and he was happier than you'd ever seen him. Even Steve was beginning to become hopeful that he would once again be the Bucky that he remembered. 

Bucky still had nightmares about his time under Hydra's control, and eventually he began to open up to you about his experiences. The two of you had started taking long walks around the lake as you learned more about one another. He was fascinated as he listened to you tell stories about growing up. He especially loved hearing the ones about your father. It made him sad to know that he would never get the chance to meet his only nephew, but he took pride in knowing that your dad's personality was so similar to his own. He laughed at the prospect of his sister raising a son so much like himself. 

It was hard to listen to Bucky talk about the missions Hydra had sent him on. You wondered if Steve hadn't triggered his memories back in D.C. all those years ago, if maybe the two of you would have ever faced off at some point. The thought of that happening sent chills down your spine. You weren't sure if you would have recognized him, not ever having seen him in anything other than photographs, but he might have recognized you, thinking you were your grandmother. It was a possibility the two of you talked about often; the "what ifs" and "could have beens." 

Tony had taken to surprising you at random times in the compound while you visited. If you got up to use the restroom, he would be waiting for you in the hall, pulling you into the bathroom for a quick make-out session before you had to return to Bucky and Steve. These illicit meetings did nothing but heighten your desire for one another. There was something about sneaking around, not knowing if you were going to be caught that made your heart race in anticipation.

Your affair with Tony had been going on for about a month with no one the wiser. You kept waiting for the day he would tell you that it was time for it to end. You hoped he would at least have the guts to tell you to your face instead of gradually becoming distant until he just stopped showing up at all. As it was, there seemed to be no end to your late night rendezvous. If anything, he seemed to be staying longer and the conversations were growing deeper. You weren't sure what it was about you that made the strongest men you knew confess their deepest fears and insecurities, but you were always ready to listen and offer advice when needed.

Tony had begun talking about his PTSD after about the first two weeks. At first it was a flippant comment here and there, but you had finally put the pieces together and recognized his extravagant behavior for what it was; a coping mechanism. Once he had finally started opening up to you, things started to change. He was less sarcastic in his comments and more attentive to you in bed and it was almost as if the two of you had stopped having sex and started making love. You were desperately trying not to fall in love with him, but it was becoming more difficult every day. You were terrified that he would realize that your feelings were changing and he would shut down. 

"I've got an idea," Tony announced as the two of you lay on the bed trying to catch your breath after he had surprised you again in the middle of the night.

"What has that genius mind of yours thought up now?" you teased as you rolled over on your side, propping your head up on your arm to look at him.

His eyes were closed and his arm was draped over his face. He lifted his arm and shot you a dirty look before closing his eyes again and continuing his train of thought. "I think you should move into the compound."

You let out a snort of laughter, eliciting another dirty look from the sex-tousled man. "You're kidding right? I mean you have to be kidding. It's kind of hard to keep an affair a secret if I move in with you!"

"I didn't say you'd be moving in with me," he clarified. "You'd be moving into the compound. You'd have your own room."

His words had the same effect as a bucket of cold water poured over you. You tried not to let the hurt you were feeling creep into your voice. "I don't understand. What possible reason would we give for me to just up and move into the compound?"

"I was thinking you could become a member of the team," he suggested, finally removing his arm to look at you.

"You mean become an Avenger?" you asked in disbelief. "Tony, that's ridiculous. What could I possibly bring to the table? I'm not a supersoldier, I don't have any enhanced abilities."

"You're one hell of a pilot," he stated with a proud grin.

"Oh, right," you agreed sarcastically. "Because you are in desperate need of a pilot. Let's take a count shall we?" You began to name each of the members of the team, raising a finger as you named them. "We've got you, Romanoff, Barton, can't forget Wilson now can we, Steve, Bucky, and Rhodey. That's seven, did I miss anyone?"

"What would we do if we were all incapacitated?" he asked in all seriousness.

"Oh, I don't know," you quipped. "Maybe have FRIDAY fly the plane back."

He reached over and grabbed you, pulling you into his arms as he began to tickle you. "Stop shooting down my plans with logic and reason!"

You were breathless with laughter after a few minutes of his torture. He stopped suddenly, his mouth coming down to kiss you sweetly. He pulled back a bit, his hands still cupping your face, and the expression on his had you inhaling sharply. If you didn't know any better, you would have sworn he was gazing down at you with love in his eyes.

"I want to make sure you're safe," he confessed. "I can't do that if you're here and I'm at the compound. Rogers is starting to become suspicious. He knows I'm spending a lot of nights away and I don't think we're ready to go public yet."

"Yet?" you questioned. 

"Well, eventually," he clarified. "We'll obviously have to talk to Barnes about it, but things are getting better between us."

"Really?" you asked in disbelief.

"Really," he assured you. "I said 'Good morning' to him the other day and he answered me back."

You snickered at his admission. "You two are practically besties!" You grew serious as you contemplated your next words carefully. "Tony, I can't even begin to imagine how hard it must be for you and for him. It's not a situation anyone would ever think to find themselves in. There's no guidebook to tell you how to deal with this. All I know is that I don't want to be the person that comes in and screws everything up."

He ran his hand down the side of your face. "You couldn't screw things up if you tried."

"What if Bucky finds out about us and loses it?" you asked. "Are you ready for me to be put in the position to choose between the two of you?"

"Not if it means you'd choose him," he stated honestly. 

"Then you need to forget about your crazy idea," you told him as you pulled him back down toward you, ready to end the conversation. "Things are fine the way they are. There's no reason to rock the boat."

Your eyes were closed as you placed kisses along his jaw so you missed the look of defeat on his face.


	7. Chapter 7

You had been gone for about a week again, flying a load of cargo to Eastern Europe. S.H.I.E.L.D. was tracking a known Hydra threat through the mountains and they were in dire need of supplies for the colder climate. As much as you loved flying, there was a part of you that missed the heated nights you'd been spending with Tony. On the return trip, you handed over the controls to your co-pilot and spent a good hour or so remembering the night before you'd left for this mission.

 

 

Tony had shown up like he always did, unannounced and with a flourish. You'd been in a mission briefing all day and had come home to finish packing up your personal supplies before flew out in the morning. Like that first night, you'd been aware that someone had been in your apartment. By now, you were used to the billionaire making himself at home, coming and going as he pleased. Instead of one vase full of red and gold roses, there were six spread throughout your kitchen and dining room. You went to the first bouquet and pulled out the handwritten card nestled within the blooms.

"Meet me on the roof. ~T"

You shook your head as you made your way back to your bedroom to change before you heeded his request. You knew he didn't care what you wore, it would end up on the floor before the night was through, but there was something to be said about dressing for your lover. Taking the time to choose the perfect lingerie, and the dress that would conceal it from his eyes, helped to fuel your anticipation for the evening. You loved knowing that he wondered what he would discover once your dress was pooled at your feet. You touched up your makeup and added a few spritzes of his favorite perfume. Taking one last turn in the mirror to make sure you looked just right, you headed toward the spiral staircase, anxious for the evening to begin.

Tony didn't disappoint. The sun had set a while ago and the softly glowing lights spread throughout the garden gave it that magical aura that you'd come to love. Tony was pouring wine into the glasses as the small table, turning with a smile when he heard the door open. He placed the bottle back into the container of ice before walking toward you.

He hadn't said a word, letting his eyes do all of the talking. He rested his hands on your shoulders as he took in the sight of you. With just the barest of contact, his fingers ran down the length of your exposed arms as desire filled his eyes. Grasping one hand, he lifted your arm and spun you around so he could admire all of you. Facing him again, his other hand gently caressed your face as he drew you in for a chaste, yet sensual kiss.

He'd led you to the table, and by tacit agreement, the two of you hadn't spoken a single word throughout dinner. His eyes never left yours and he slowly seduced you with longing looks. You weren't playing a passive role tonight as you did your best to drive him wild with every look and movement of your body. By the time dinner was finished, you were both a little breathless and desperate for one another.

Tony didn't bother going back downstairs, but instead he led you to the pergola in the middle of the roof. The ivy had grown exponentially over the past six weeks, and had created a secluded alcove in the midst of the open space. It was a heady sensation making love in Tony's garden, knowing that you were essentially exposed to the world, yet uncaring if the world took notice.

Tony took his time ridding you of your clothes. Knowing you craved his lips against your own, he'd denied you the pleasure, his mouth driving you crazy as he kissed and nipped at the exposed flesh of your neck and shoulders. He'd held both of your hands behind your back with one of his own in order to maintain the agonizingly slow pace he'd set. You had been reduced to shallows gasps and moans of pleasure as he continued to tease and taunt you.

When his lips finally slanted over yours, you were practically melting in a pool of your own desire. He'd released your hands and they'd gone straight to his shoulders, sliding up the back of his neck as you buried your fingers in his dark hair, pulling him closer to you as you deepened the kiss.

With both of his hands now free, they got busy stroking and caressing all of the secret spots he'd discovered over the past few weeks. He'd learned your body as no lover ever had and he used this secret knowledge to bring you to the edge as you stood before him, completely clothed. When your knees threatened to give out from the onslaught of desire he'd evoked within you, he'd slid your dress off of your shoulders and let it fall to the ground. Picking you up, he gently laid you on the chaise before he rid himself of his clothes.

You would have been perfectly content if he'd taken you right then and there, but Tony loved to see you come undone from his touch alone. You didn't think there was an inch of skin on your body that Tony hadn't caressed or kissed before he'd finally removed the last obstacles between you and settled himself between your thighs. You wrapped your legs around his waist as you matched the tempo he'd set. He was propped up on his elbows, his hands framing your face as he watched the emotions play over your face. 

You never knew what mood he'd be in when he showed up on your doorstep, but this one was your favorite. You loved it when he slowly made love to you, his eyes never leaving yours as the two of you reveled in the pleasures you were evoking in the other. This was your favorite, but it was also the most dangerous. With every tender kiss and soft caress, you were falling more and more in love with him. You pushed those thoughts to the back of your mind as you concentrated on the intoxicating sensations coursing through your body. Coming to the edge, you gently went over as his name fell from your lips in a whisper. 

Tony rested his forehead against yours and he struggled to maintain his self-control as you rode out the high. Never breaking contact, he rolled onto his back and allowed you to have your way with him. This was also why this particular mood was your favorite. You loved the feeling of being in control and Tony knew that. He never denied you the opportunity to dominate him, but it was always sweeter when he willingly lay beneath you as you used the knowledge you'd gained over the past few weeks to drive him wild until he finally broke, taking you along with him.

The two of you were hesitant to the leave the sanctuary of the garden, knowing that the real world was waiting for you. Laying on the chaise, arms and legs tangled together, the moonlight filtering in through the slats in the roof, you could pretend that there was nothing standing in the way of you being together. Eventually, once your hearts had returned their normal rhythms, the night would grow colder and you were forced to abandon the magical garden. 

Once you were back in your apartment, reality would set in again, and a niggling feeling of guilt would creep back to the forefront of your mind. You didn't want to tell your uncles about your relationship with Tony for two reasons. One, they would never understand, and two, you weren't sure how much longer it was going to last. There was no reason to cause a rift between the men in your life when you were sure one of those relationships was bound to crash and burn.

 

 

Your mind came back to the present and you were angry with yourself that you'd allowed guilt and doubt to taint the lovely memory you were trying to hold on to. You stole a glance at your co-pilot, but Kendel was completely oblivious to the inner turmoil you were experiencing. You'd never had a lot of close friends, especially female friends, to talk to about relationship issues. Up until now, you'd never really had any relationship issues that you'd needed to talk about. You wondered if she would be willing to listen, but apart from a few drinks you'd shared over the past few years, you'd never bothered getting to know the other woman. Letting out a sigh, you took over the controls to allow Kendel some downtime before you began your decent into New York.


	8. Chapter 8

To say you were disappointed to find your apartment empty when you finally made it back home after the mission debriefing was an understatement. Usually when you were gone for as long as you were, Tony was eagerly awaiting your return, but for some reason he wasn't here tonight. You tried to convince yourself that he was probably off saving the world and he'd come to see you as soon as he could.

You awoke the next morning, the other side of the bed cold and unused. A feeling of loneliness swept over you and you groaned as you pulled the pillow over your face. This could not be happening to you. There was no way that you'd actually gone and fallen in love with the one man you couldn't have. Deciding that you weren't going to let these feelings interfere with your life, you climbed out of bed and got dressed for a workout. 

Once you were sweaty and too exhausted to think about anything, you put down the weights and went for a short jog to cool down. Focusing on your form as you lifted weights had kept your mind off of Tony, but thoughts of him came to the forefront again as you circled the small park near your apartment. 

You checked your phone once you got back and saw that there were no messages. Your heart sank a little as you gathered some clothes and made your way to the bathroom. As you shampooed your hair, you berated yourself for becoming the type of woman that waited for a man to contact you. The more you thought about it, the more determined you were to remind Tony Stark just who he was dealing with. You weren't one of the floozies at his beck and call. You got out of the shower and threw on some clothes before grabbing your phone.

You stared at the blinking cursor for a minute before deciding what you wanted to write. You thought about playing it cool and letting him know you were back in town if he wanted to drop by sometime later that night, but that sounded too desperate and needy. You definitely didn't want to ask where he was because that would make you come across as possessive and nagging. Finally giving up, you switched over to Bucky's name and sent him a quick message asking what he was doing for the day. Maybe you could run into Tony at the compound. The more you thought about it, the better it sounded. This way, you'd still be able to see him, but he'd definitely realize that he wasn't your first priority when you got back from your mission. This just might be exactly what he needed to remind him that you weren't to be trifled with.

Bucky got back to you immediately, letting you know that he wasn't busy and he'd love to see you. You grabbed your wallet and keys as you shot him a text letting him know that you'd be there soon. It was a beautiful day, so you rolled down all of the windows as you sang along with the radio, enjoying the gorgeous scenery as you drove.

 

 

 

You tried to calm your nerves as you pulled up to the front entrance, but you couldn't help but look for a sexy brunette with a seductive swagger to his step. A handsome brunette did indeed meet you as you exited your car, but he wasn't the one you'd been hoping to see. Bucky pulled you in for a hug and you reminded yourself that he should be the reason why you were here today.

"I've missed you, (Y/N)," he whispered as held you close.

"I missed you too, Buck," you replied.

Bucky held on for a few more moments before pulling away from you, a look of concern on his face. "What's the matter?"

It was your turn to look confused. "What do you mean? Everything's fine."

He used the finger of his flesh hand to trace the worry lines between your eyes as he raised one eyebrow. "You looked stressed."

You laughed off his concern, citing the increase in missions the past few weeks as the cause of your stress. You gestured toward the lake and you and Bucky began strolling along the shore as you explained your theory that Hydra was becoming more active following the signing of the Accords because they thought the threat of the Avengers had been nullified.

Bucky agreed with you that since the Accords had been signed that it was harder for the Avengers to neutralize threats quickly because they had to wait for approval. This was exactly what Steve and Sam had been worried about when the Accords were first presented. Tony had done his best in the months following the altercation at the German airport to get amendments added to the document that would essentially give the Avengers more control, but it was a slow process and innocent lives were being lost every day that the UN argued and debated.

Once that topic had been fully discussed, you changed the subject and asked how he was doing with your grandmother's photos and journals. Bucky immediately perked up and you could see the excitement in his eyes as he began to tell you all of the things that he'd remembered since he'd last saw you.

"I found one of her journals," he told you. "I recognized it the minute I saw it. The leather had darkened over the years, but it was definitely the one I gave her for her fifteenth birthday. Reading it took me back to 1935 and I started to remember the events she wrote about."

"That's great, Bucky!" you exclaimed. "I remember finding that journal after she passed. It was like reading a romance novel as she wrote about meeting Grandpa."

Bucky gave you a disgusted look. "That was the part I hated the most. If I'd known he'd been sniffing around her when she was only 15, I'd probably have killed him."

"Now, Bucky," you chastised him. "If she hadn't married Grandpa, I wouldn't be here talking to you today."

"I know, I know," he acquiesced. "Steve's been saying the same thing for days, but I know he wasn't Johnny's biggest fan either."

"Now that you remember some of those stories, you'll have to tell me your version of them. It's not that I don't trust Grandma, but things look different to a fifteen year old girl."

Bucky began by telling you how he'd stumbled upon the underground boxing circuit in 1935 and started fighting to help supplement his income during the Depression. He told you how he'd become such a good fighter that he'd eventually gone legit and was a three-time Welterweight champion for the YMCA. By the time he finished telling you about his last championship fight you were back at the compound and the sun was begin to dip lower in the sky.

Bucky led you back to the entrance and invited you to stay for dinner. You happily accepted his invitation and made your way to the bathroom to wash up before joining him in the common area. You'd just exited the bathroom when your way was blocked by a solid chest and a cheeky grin.

"Why didn't you tell me you were dropping by?" he whispered in your ear as he backed you into the wall. "I only found out when the guard radioed in, but by then Barnes was already waiting by the door."

"I would have told you I was coming," you whispered back as trailed a finger down his chest, stopping at the waistband of his jeans causing him to draw in a sharp breath. "But I didn't come here to see you."

His face set into a pout as his lips started lowering to yours. Your heart was racing in both anticipation of his kiss, and from knowing that your indifference had caused him to come searching for you. His lips were mere millimeters from yours when you heard someone rounding the corner.

"What the hell, Tony!" Steve yelled as he spotted the two of you in a very compromising position.

"Rogers," Tony began. "This isn't what it looks like."

"Really?" he asked, sarcasm dripping off his voice like molasses. "Cause it looks like you're trying to make a move on (Y/N) when I've explicitly told you that she's off limits."

"Excuse me?" you interrupted as you pushed Tony to the side to face your irate uncle. "You did what now?"

"You don't know what he's really like, (Y/N)," Steve tried to explain.

"I think I'm old enough to make my own decisions, Steve!" you yelled as Tony tried to get you to lower your voice.

Steve looked between you and Tony, visibly debated what he should actually say. "Tony isn't capable of a long-term relationship, and you deserve more than a cheap one-night stand."

You could see the anger start to roll off of Tony as Steve continued. "Ever since Bucky and I got back from Wakanda, he's been sneaking off in the middle of the night. . ."

"Sneaking being the operative word here, Rogers," Tony interrupted. "Why exactly to you think I've been so secretive, huh?"

Your eyes grew large as you saw the realization dawn on Steve's face. "Tony, that's enough."

"(Y/N)," Steve pleaded. "Please tell me it isn't true."

The look of disappointment on Steve's face was almost unbearable. "I'm sorry you found out this way, I really am, but like I told you, I'm old enough to make my own decisions." 

"You son of a bitch," Bucky said as he rounded the corner, his eyes full of anger as he stared at Tony. His gaze finally turned toward you and your blood ran cold. "Any guy in the world. You could have picked any guy, (Y/N). Why did it have to be him?"

If you thought the look of disappointment on Steve's face was hard to face, it was nothing compared to the look Bucky was giving you now. Without waiting for an answer he turned and walked away.

You made to follow him as a hand reached out and grabbed your arm. "(Y/N)?" Tony asked, silently begging you not to leave him.

You looked back at the empty hallway where Bucky had just been before turning back to Tony. "I'm sorry, Tony, but I've already warned you how this would play out. Bucky is my family."

"What about me?" he asked, not willing to let you go just yet. "What am I?"

Steve hadn't said a word since Bucky had left, but you could feel the tension rolling off him in waves behind you. "Steve's right, Tony. You're just not built for the long term, and neither am I. We both went into this knowing that and there's no point in pretending otherwise. It was always going to end, I'd just hoped that when it did, no one would get hurt."

Tony's eyes darkened in resignation as he let go of your arm. You gave him one final look before turning toward Steve. He raised his hands in defeat as he allowed you to rush past him to follow after Bucky.

 

 

 

The hallway was quiet for a moment after (Y/N) had left, neither man knowing just what to say. Steve finally broke the silence. "Oh, man, I definitely got that wrong." He let out a small chuckle. "I should have known that she'd be the one to break your heart."

"Shut up, Rogers," Tony said halfheartedly as he walked back toward his room, the swagger in his step noticeably absent.


	9. Chapter 9

You'd finally caught up to Bucky as he stopped by the lake. He had his back to you, but from the angle of his head, you knew he'd heard you approach. You stood beside him as he stared out over the glassy surface of the lake, not sure what you were going to say.

"Why him?" he whispered after a moment.

You closed your eyes as the pain behind his words brought tears to your eyes. "I never meant to hurt you, Bucky."

"You didn't answer my question," he quietly reminded you. "Do you love him?"

"I don't know," you answered him honestly. "Tony's not exactly the guy you bring home to Mom. I have feelings for him, I won't lie about that, but I won't have a problem walking away from him if that's what you want."

"I don't want to give you an ultimatum, (Y/N)," Bucky admitted, "But I can't just sit back and watch him throw you away like all of the other women in his life. He's too much like Howard for his own good, and you deserve better than that."

You grabbed his shoulder and turned him so that he was facing you. "Steve said the exact same thing. You two are more alike than you'd care to admit. I'm not some love-struck teenager with her first crush, Bucky. I know what kind of man Tony Stark is, and I know what kind of woman I am. This was never about love." You let go of him as you tried to find the best way to put your thoughts into words. "This was just about two people living in the moment and enjoying one another for as long as it lasted."

Bucky gave you a hard look and you poked his chest, hard. "Now listen here, pal. I've heard all of the stories. I know what kind of man you used to be, so don't you dare judge me for taking a page out of your book!"

"Doll," he began, a shameful blush creeping up his neck from your words. "I know I wasn't a saint, but it's different for a gu. . ."

"Don't you dare try to play the gender card with me! This is the 21st Century, Bucky. If I want to take a lover, I can."

"Which brings me back to my original question. Why him?"

You threw your head back as you let out an exasperated breath. "Bucky, please do not make me talk about my sex life with you."

"Please don't," he pleaded with a soft chuckle.

"If you want me to answer your question, then we're going to have to," you explained.

"He's that good?" he asked with a grimace, visibly struggling not to picture you and Tony together.

"You should know more than anyone that you'd don't get a reputation for being a ladies man if you're lousy in bed," you teased as you bumped his shoulder with your own.

"Okay, okay, okay!" he exclaimed as he dug the heels of his hands into his eyes. "I'm sorry I asked." He opened his eyes and laid his hands on your shoulders, his expression growing serious. "Please tell me that it's over."

You remembered the look of defeat on Tony's face as he realized that you were choosing Bucky over him. "Yeah, it's over."

 

 

 

The next few weeks were some of the loneliness weeks of your life. You would wake up in the middle of the night and reach for Tony, only to remember that he wasn't there. The pillow he used still smelled like him and when you did the laundry, you found his favorite Black Sabbath t-shirt mixed in with your clothes. Acting like the love-struck teenager you claimed not to be, you pulled it over your head and breathed in the scent of him. 

Going up to the garden was the hardest part. The flowers and plants needed tending, even if Tony had built a smaller version of Dum-E to manage the day-to-day care. You had taken to spending your evenings sitting on the settee under the pergola, hoping that he might come by. You knew that you should be the one to reach out to him, but you'd promised both Bucky and Steve that it was over, and you weren't about to break your promise to them. Family had to come first, didn't it? It's not like Tony had ever made out like this relationship was anything more than sex. You couldn't just throw away your relationship with your uncles for a decent roll in the hay. You hated the way things ended, but the ending was always inevitable. You just hoped that the team dynamic wouldn't suffer because of you.

 

 

 

You were hesitant to visit the compound again, but you weren't a coward. The possibility of running into Tony wasn't going to keep you from seeing Bucky and Steve. Bucky had met you at the door the first time you'd come back and the two of you had made your way to the lake like you always did. Bucky told you about the new memories he'd regained and you smiled for the first time in weeks as he told you a story about him and Steve visiting the World's Fair the night before he shipped out. You loved to hear Bucky talk about his time before Hydra, but he could tell that your heart just wasn't in it.

"He's not here," he said quietly. "If you were wondering, that is."

"Oh," you replied, unable to say anything else.

"He was gone before we came back from the lake that night, and he hasn't been back," Bucky explained. "Steve said that he's been staying at the Tower in the city."

"That's probably for the best," you acknowledged. "He and Steve were pretty angry with one another that night. Some space will be good for them."

"How are you doing?" he asked. "You seem a little sad."

"I'm good," you lied. "I mean, it was nice for a while, and I miss him, but it's for the best. Any longer, and things would have just gotten even messier than they already are."

"Are you seeing anyone else?" Bucky hedged, not really wanting an answer to his question.

You laughed at the grimace on his face. "No, I'm not seeing anyone else right now. I've been too busy to even think about it. I have another mission briefing in the morning and I fly out the day after."

"Where to this time?" he asked as he stopped walking, his eye falling upon the perfect rock to skip across the lake.

You watched him expertly flick his wrist causing the rock to skip across the lake at least a dozen times before sinking below the surface. "Back to Eastern Europe. S.H.I.E.L.D. is desperately trying to pin down the Hydra regiment that's been wreaking havoc over there. The situation is getting bad, the intel we've received isn't reassuring in the least. Command is starting to question whether or not the Air Force needs to be involved with this anymore. We aren't trained agents, and with the new threat of enhanced Hydra operatives, it's getting to be too dangerous for us to be caught in the middle. This may be my last mission over there for a while."

Bucky stopped skipping stones to lay a hand on your shoulder and give it a light squeeze. "I know you love what you do, but I worry about you every single time you fly back over there. I know first-hand what Hydra is capable of and it may sound overprotective of me, but I don't want you anywhere near them. If they found out that you were connected to me. . ."

"They won't," you interrupted him. "Tony made sure that any connection between the two of us was completely erased. They won't ever find out, and even if they do, I won't allow them to use me to get to you."

Bucky pulled you into his embrace and you did your best to comfort him and try to alleviate his fears. The two of you had grown so close in the past few months, neither one of you could stand the thought of losing the other.

 

 

 

The mission had gone to hell from the second you'd touched down. Unbeknownst to you and your crew, the base had been infiltrated hours before and Hydra was lying in wait for your plane. When the cargo door had been lowered, your crew had been ambushed. Hydra had gone about their work quietly, so you and Kendel were completely unaware of any danger as you exited the cockpit and made your way to the cargo hold.

By the time you'd realized that something was off, a gloved hand had been clamped over your mouth and the sting of needle in your neck was the last thing you remembered.


	10. Chapter 10

You awoke, still groggy and a bit confused. You still had enough wits about you to feign sleep as you took in your surroundings. You didn't need to open your eyes to tell that you'd been blindfolded, the band cinched so tightly that it was giving you a headache. The ropes securing your hands behind your back were rough and you could already tell that the skin was rubbed raw beneath the bindings. Your ankles were also bound, but you weren't secured to a chair and from what you could tell, you were sitting on cold rock. You remembered that Hydra had taken to hiding in the mountains, so you assumed that you were in a cave.

You stilled your breathing so that you could focus on the sounds around you. A soft groan to your left was followed by the scraping of combat boots against rock. You tried to identify who was beside you by the sound of their grunts, but it wasn't until you heard her mumble a soft "shit" that you realized that it was Kendel. You quietly shushed her and she instantly stilled.

You continued to listen and the sound of slowly dripping water confirmed your observation that you were indeed in a cave. A cold breeze was coming from your right and although it chilled you to the bone, it brought with it the sound of hushed voices whispering beyond the entrance. You could barely make out any of their conversation, but the words "Soldier" and "Asset" confirmed your worst suspicions. You didn't know how they'd figured out you were Bucky's niece, but somehow they had and that connection had put both you and your crew at risk. 

You were fairly sure that they weren't paying any attention to you so you chanced a short conversation with Kendel. "Are you hurt?"

"No, just a headache from the sedative," she whispered back.

"Can you hear anyone else?" you asked quietly as you continued to listen for your captors.

"I think Henderson is a few feet away from me," she informed you with a soft chuckle. "I'd recognized his snoring anywhere."

"I don't think they killed anyone, do you?"

"No, I didn't see any blood before they grabbed me, and we didn't hear any gunshots. Do you know why they grabbed us?"

You let out a breath as guilt lay heavy on your heart. "This is because of me."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you remember the Winter Soldier? He's my great uncle. I guess Hydra found out and they're trying to use me to draw him back out."

"The Winter Soldier?" she asked, her voice raising a bit in shock. 

You shushed her again before the men outside realized that you were awake. You strained to hear them, but they had grown quiet. A chill went down your spine as you heard them walking toward you. You stilled your breathing to make it seem as though you were unconscious, but Kendel's breaths were coming in short little gasps, a sure sign that she was awake.

"Which one is the Soldier's?" one of the operatives asked the other.

"Does it matter?" he replied. "We'll keep them both. Once the Asset is back under our control, they will both prove entertaining."

Bile rose up in the back of your throat as the implications of their words became clear to you. Bucky would never allow them to abuse you and Kendel in that way, but if they wiped him, you would just be another meaningless pair of women. You racked your brain trying to figure out a way of this situation before Bucky became involved. You knew that you needed to get the drop on them if you had any hope of thwarting their plans.

A sudden burst of light blinded you as the band over your eyes was ripped away suddenly. You willed your eyes to focus quickly so that you could assess your surroundings. You quickly scanned the cramped space, taking note of your crew still unconscious on the other side of the cave. Kendel was softly crying, and you knew she wasn't going to be much help. You didn't blame her though, if you'd been in her position, you'd be scared as well. You had Bucky to think about though. Your fear for him was far greater than your own and that was all the motivation you needed to stay focused. 

The ceiling of the cave was just high enough for the two men to stand up straight, but there were outcroppings of rock that hung down low enough to knock someone out if hit hard enough. Your assessment of your surroundings took only a few seconds, and you'd been rapidly blinking the whole time to fool the operatives into thinking that you were just trying to grow accustomed to the light.

When you finally looked in their direction, they were smugly glaring down at you and Kendel, the lust evident in their eyes. You guessed that they were new recruits, not from their age, but from the way they held themselves and the amount of weapons strapped to various parts of their bodies. Their egos would end up being the death of them. As they debated whether or not they had time to "amuse" themselves before you were needed as bait, you were formulating a plan to save your crew as well as Bucky.

The short one leaned down and grabbed your arm, dragging you to your feet. He roughly pushed you against the wall of the cave as he pressed himself against your back. You could feel his arousal as he ground himself against your backside. Repulsion rose up within you, but you forced it down as you took advantage of his position. With a twist of your wrists, you were able to grab ahold of the knife protruding from his thigh holster. You threw your head back, smashing his nose as you repositioned the knife in your hand. Making sure you were angled just right, you fell back against him, toppling him to the ground as the knife buried itself deep within his gut when you fell on top of him.

The force of the fall and the way you were holding the knife made it feel as though your wrists were going to break, but you pushed down the pain and waited for the tall man to move into position. When he was just where you wanted him, you pulled your legs into your chest and kicked out as hard as you could. The sound of his head hitting the low hanging rock in the ceiling was like music to your ears. 

You waited until you were sure he wasn't going to get back up before you moved. You tucked your knees beneath you as you grabbed the knife behind you and leaned forward. Using your knees as leverage, you were able to pull the knife out of the body beneath you. You told Kendel to turn around as you carefully positioned the knife between her wrists, rocking back and forth to severe the ropes binding her hands. Once she was free, she removed her blindfold and cut the ropes from your hands. You grabbed another knife from one of the fallen men and the two of you freed the rest of your crew.

You had just finished, and your crew was slowly coming to when the sound of pounding boots filled your ears. You and Kendel dove for the guns you commandeered from your captives, quickly crouching in position. The entrance of the cave fell into shadow as three men came into view, their faces obscured in the now darkened space.

 

 

 

Steve and Bucky were in the middle of a Lord of the Rings marathon when FRIDAY announced that Secretary Ross was calling for him. Steve paused the movie as FRIDAY switched the screen to show Ross's face. He told Steve and Bucky that the base in Eastern Europe had been infiltrated and that (Y/N)'s plane had been ambushed. The UN was deliberating whether or not the Avengers would be needed and Steve needed to be on standby in case his help was needed.

Once the call had ended, Steve looked at Bucky. "Ross doesn't know she's your niece, Buck."

"It wouldn't matter if he did," Bucky countered. "If anything, it would weigh against us."

"What do you want to do?" Steve asked, already knowing the answer.

"It's the Soldier they want," he replied, a cold, detached look distorting his features. "And it's the Soldier they're going to get."

Steve and Bucky were suited up and in the Quinjet in under ten minutes. As FRIDAY loaded the coordinates of the airbase into the navigational system, Steve made a call to Tony.

"What do you want? I'm kinda busy right now," Stark snapped at Steve when he answered the call.

"I just heard from Ross," he began.

"I know, I got a call, too," Tony informed him.

"Then you know Hydra has (Y/N)?" he questioned as the jet rose into the air.

"I'm aware," he replied.

"You know the UN hasn't sanctioned the Avengers to intervene?" he cautiously asked.

"I've been fully briefed, Rogers," Tony snapped at him again. "What's your point?"

"My point is. . ."Steve began before cocking his head to the side, trying hard to listen to the background noises on Tony's end. "Why does it sound like you're in the air, Tony?"

"Probably the same reason why I hear the sound of the Quinjet on your end, Rogers," he observed. 

"You want a lift?" Steve asked with a chuckle. "According to FRIDAY's calculations, we'll be in rendezvous position in about ten minutes."

Tony was quiet for a moment before he responded. "Is Barnes with you?"

"You know he is," Steve confirmed.

"Does he still want me dead?" he asked.

Steve glanced toward Bucky, a pleading look in his eyes. Bucky dropped his head, trying to hide the smile on his face. "Yes, Stark, I still want you dead, but we can get to that once (Y/N)'s safe."

"Fair enough," he replied. "Drop the cargo door once you're in range. Three is better than one anyway."

 

 

 

You were just about to fire when you noticed the faint glow from the chest of one of the men. Letting out the breath you'd been holding, you reached over to Kendel, lowering her gun as you rose to your feet. Tony stepped into the cave as the faceplate of his helmet raised. The rest of his suit came open as he rushed forward to pull you into your arms.

"I should've known you wouldn't need me to come to your rescue," he observed as he noticed the bodies of the Hydra operatives on the ground.

"It's the thought that counts," you informed him as you captured his mouth with yours. You didn't care that everyone was looking. All that mattered was that Tony had cared enough to come to your rescue. You poured all of your heart into that kiss, desperately trying to show him how you truly felt.

He broke away, his gaze locked on yours. "No more arguments. I told you that I can't keep you safe if you're not with me. When we get back, you're moving into the compound, you'll be sleeping in my bed and I don't give a damn what Barnes thinks about it. I love you and I won't risk losing you again."

"I'm standing right here, Stark!" Bucky interjected, trying his best to sound menacing, but failing.

"I'm sure Bucky will get over it eventually because I love you, too, and I'm not spending another night without you." You kissed him again, before pulling back with a confused look on your face. "Wait a second. How did you know where I was? There has to be hundreds of caves up here."

"I might have installed a tracking device in your dog tags," he begrudgingly admitted as he pulled on the chain around your neck. 

You looked closely at the tags and could barely make out a small chip on the backside of one of the tags. You shook your head at him with a grin as you pulled him back down for another kiss.

Steve clasped a hand onto Bucky's shoulder as he mumbled again that he was standing right there. The two of them began ushering the rest of the crew out of the cave and past the fallen Hydra operatives at the base of the mountain. Once they had settled everyone into seats, Steve had FRIDAY tell you and Tony that they were leaving, with or without you. A few minutes later, you and Tony emerged from the cave, your arms wrapped around one another as Tony's empty suit followed behind you.

 

 

Epilogue

You awoke one morning and reached for Tony, only to find his side of the bed empty. This wasn't unusual, but you still hated waking up alone. You pulled on a pair of yoga pants and grabbed the Black Sabbath t-shirt off of the floor where you'd thrown it last night after you'd practically ripped it from Tony's back. A smile of satisfaction spread across your face as the events following the removal of that shirt played over in your mind. 

So far, living in the compound had proven to be quite beneficial. Not only did you have 24/7 access to your lover, but you got to spend as much time with your uncles as you wanted. Bucky hadn't been thrilled with the sleeping arrangements, but even he could see how much you meant to Tony, especially since he'd defied the Accords to come to your rescue. You hoped that in time, the two men would eventually become friends, but their shared love for you kept the hostility at bay, at least when you were around.

You padded barefoot down the stairs leading to Tony's lab, trying to quietly sneak up on him. "I know you're there, (Y/N)," he informed you without even turning around.

"FRIDAY needs to learn to keep her mouth shut and let me surprise you every now and then," you told him as you wrapped your arms around his waist and rested your head on his shoulder.

He turned and placed a kiss on your lips before going back to the task before him. "You're just in time. I just finished."

You let go of him as he rose from his stool and began walking across the lab. "Just in time for what, Tony?"

He stopped in front of what looked like an Iron Man suit covered with a drop cloth. He gave you a sly grin as he pulled on the cloth. Your original assumption was just a little off. It was a suit, but it wasn't one of his. This one was a bit smaller and was designed to look like Steve's Stealth Suit from his time working with S.H.I.E.L.D. in DC. As you walked around the suit, you noticed the small wing representing the Howling Commandos on the right shoulder and on the left was a small red star.

You turned back to Tony with a smile on your face. "You're serious about keeping me by your side at all times, aren't you?"

"I thought about what you said," he began. "We do have an abundance of pilots. I needed a way to keep you with me, but still let you have your independence. Do you like it?"

"I love it, Tony," you told him as you pulled him toward you. "And I love that you love me enough to trust me to fight alongside of you. I've thought about what you said, and you were right, you're definitely the guy for me."

"I love being right," he smirked as he lifted you in his arms, clearing a space on his workbench as he sat you on the edge, your legs wrapped around him as he showed you just how perfectly you fit together.


End file.
